White River National Forest

Area Description:

The Blanco Ranger District headquarters is located in Meeker Colorado which is situated in the Northwest portion of the state, approximately 4 hours driving time from Denver and 2 hours from Grand Junction (the largest city on the western slope of Colorado).

Blanco is responsible for management of the historic Flat Tops Wilderness, which encompasses approximately 235,406 acres. The district also provides access to a wide range of recreational opportunities such as camping, hiking and backpacking. The area is well known for outstanding hunting in one of the largest elk herds in North America. District elevation ranges from 6,500 to 12,000.

There are 352,917 acres of National Forest land within the Blanco District boundaries. There are nine improved campgrounds, picnic facilities and an abundance of well marked trailheads for access to backcountry and wilderness. The district has 24 licensed Outfitter/Guide permittees, who are equipped to host individual hunters from all over the world. Currently, Blanco’s staff is comprised of 14 permanent employees with an annual hiring rate of 25-30 seasonal employees.

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USDA Forest Service
White River
National Forest
900 Grand Ave.
P.O. Box 948
Glenwood Springs CO 81602
970-945-2521

Telephone for the
Hearing Impaired
970-945-3255